Good morning, Happy Thursday, Happy CLAMP Day and of course... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WATANUKI!

Oh wow it has been WAY too long, hasn't it? I'm so sorry for the delay, I really have no excuse, I just allowed myself to get super distracted by other things (read, Attack On Titan), and I'm so, so sorry! That being said, if you're still here and you've stuck with me so far, you are an absolute star and I'm so happy to see you for the final chapter!

I really don't have much to say about this except that I hope it's as satisfying for all of you as it was for me. Editing it was an absolute nightmare because my first draft was unusually sparse. I tend to have the opposite problem, where I spend all my editing time trimming fat rather than adding flavor, you know? And adding is way more difficult. It was worth it though, because I wanted the finale to be a good one, and I'm pretty sure I pulled it off but feel free to validate me anyway.

Thank you all so much for reading, for your continued support and for keeping me on my toes about this. Every review e-mail warmed my heart, you have no idea.

I think that's it! ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to xxxHolic and I'm making no money off of this.

"Watanuki! How's everything going?!" Yuuko's voice was cheerful, and Watanuki was immediately suspicious.

"Good, um…" He turned away from the reception desk and explained what had happened with Yuriko, what her necklace had done to her and how he and Doumeki had defeated it. Naturally he didn't tell her about their walk along the beach afterwards, or about what he'd figured out that morning, though he blushed as he remembered Doumeki's body under the wet yukata and how he'd felt cuddled up against him.

"I thought it might be something like that," said Yuuko, and Watanuki knew just from her tone that she was wearing her characteristic, knowing smile, which flash heated his suspicion to irritation.

"What do you mean?! You didn't tell us anything about what we were looking for or how to find it or-"

"Well that inn is located in a place of highly concentrated energy already, and all the pain and healing that goes on only adds to it. I'm sure you felt it."

"I," but he broke off, because she was absolutely right.

"So magical objects and unusual people tend to be drawn there. I just wanted to see what would happen!"

"YUUKO-SAN!" Watanuki exploded, his knuckles whitening around the phone as she laughed unconcernedly.

"Please bring the necklace to me, I'd love to see it!"

"I'm sure," replied Watanuki through gritted teeth. Yuuko laughed lightly again, but then her tone became serious as she added,

"Let me know what else you find, if anything."

"There's more?!"

"Isn't there?" Watanuki's face burned.

"What do you mean, Yuuko-san?!" he growled, but,

"Only that I'll be curious what else you find, that's all!" Watanuki said nothing, just glared across the room, surprised the heat from his face wasn't melting the phone still pressed to his ear. "Well enjoy the rest of your stay, Watanuki-kun! Mokona says hello!" She hung up, and Watanuki growled out a few curses and threats before slamming the receiver back down. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, doing his utmost to get his anger under control. Yuuko was just being her usual teasing self, there was no way she could know what he'd realized, and it was none of her business anyway! What, was she trying to take credit for orchestrating the circumstances in which he'd made the discovery? Probably, that was so annoyingly like her, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction, he knew that. He shook himself, thanked the receptionists, then turned and found himself face to face with Yuriko and Renjiro.

"Good morning!" exclaimed Yuriko, wearing a colorful sundress rather than her oversized hoodie and looking happier and healthier than Watanuki had seen her thus far. His irritation with Yuuko evaporated at once.

"Good morning! Sorry, I was just giving my report to my boss."

"Ooh, really?"

"Yes, I'll tell you about it over breakfast." Yuriko and Renjiro exchanged an excited look, and the three of them made their way to the dining room. They spotted Doumeki at a far table, and he waved them over, smiling the same warm smile he had during their reconciliation the night before, the smile that made Watanuki's heart swell. "I was just going to tell them about my report to Yuuko-san," Watanuki said, importantly, to distract himself, "which I assume you want to hear too." Doumeki tilted his head to the side, his eyes still soft as he watched Watanuki.

"Of course." Watanuki cleared his throat, then explained all that Yuuko had told him, then, at Yuriko and Renjiro's curiosity, started talking about her shop and the most interesting jobs he'd had. Doumeki joined in when Watanuki allowed it, while Renjiro and Yuriko asked good questions and gasped and exclaimed at all the right places.

"Well I'm glad she sent you two this weekend," Yuriko said, after a while, her eyes huge over the rim of her coffee cup. "I don't know if anyone else could have helped me like you did." Watanuki flushed, a little overwhelmed by her gratitude, but he managed a smile as he replied,

"Yuuko-san says there are no coincidences, it's all just hitsuzen, but," his smile widened, "I'm really glad I was able to help you." Yuriko and Renjiro beamed at him, and Doumeki placed his hand on his thigh under the table. Watanuki's flush deepened, but he didn't shy away.

"Do you two have any plans for the rest of the day?" asked Renjiro, after a moment.

"I don't think so," replied Doumeki, looking sideways at Watanuki and giving his thigh a gentle squeeze under the table. Watanuki shook his head, doing his utmost to keep his blush from getting worse.

"Well we were planning on taking that boat trip, and I think there's still room if you want to come with us," Renjiro continued, and Yuriko nodded eagerly. Watanuki hesitated, the idea of being out in the hot sun and salt spray all day immediately distasteful, but then Doumeki rubbed his thumb back and forth against his inner thigh, which prevented his usual negative thought loop from beginning. He couldn't look at Doumeki, though he knew he was watching him encouragingly.

"Yeah, yeah that sounds like fun," he said, managing a smile across the table.

After they all finished eating, they parted ways to go and change. The moment they got back to their room, Watanuki stole into the bathroom with his swimsuit. As he lathered on layers of sunscreen, he imagined, with a little shiver, Doumeki changing clothes in the other room, or else standing ostentatiously in just his swimsuit as he done on the porch the day before. However, when he emerged, he found Doumeki still in his day clothes, apparently waiting for his turn. Watanuki shivered again.

"What's with you, suddenly shy or something?" he demanded, the softest of snaps in his tone making Doumeki's lip twitch.

"Maybe so," he replied, quietly, and strode past Watanuki into the bathroom. The moment the door closed, Watanuki sighed out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and became much more aware of his heart beating in his empty chest. He knew Doumeki was giving him space, leaving it up to him what to do next, which deep down he guessed he appreciated, but some line had already been crossed and now he was thinking about what he could have seen even more! With a comforting cry of frustration, he gathered what they'd need for the trip and stormed onto the porch.

A few minutes later, he and Doumeki met up with Yuriko and Renjiro at a short dock a little ways down the beach. He was pleased to see Sumire and Fujito there too, looking the happiest they'd been so far, two other couples he didn't know as well as the older man with sunkissed skin who'd be captaining the expedition. They boarded the small fishing boat and headed out onto the water, everyone laughing at the bouncing and salt spray. Watanuki actually managed to join in, because it didn't seem worth it to complain when everyone else was in such a good mood, and he had the best time he'd had in a while.

They went up and down the coastline, keeping an eye out for birds and other animals, before docking at a remote point to swim and have lunch. Watanuki never found himself completely alone with Doumeki, and he vacillated between feeling devoutly thankful and incredibly frustrated. He wasn't sorry to keep maintaining the space from that morning, except that in the space everything seemed magnified: every glance across the boat had his heart racing, every word they exchanged sent his mind spinning. Fortunately, there was plenty to distract him and he was mostly able to keep his wits about him.

They returned to the dock as the sun hung low in the sky, making the ocean glitter and casting long shadows over the beach. "We'll see you at dinner!" Sumire called, and all five couples waved and parted ways. Watanuki and Doumeki paused to take their shoes off, then walked a few minutes without speaking, the sand warm but not hot under their feet and the sounds of crashing waves filling the silence. Watanuki's heart sped up with each step as, now they were alone, the space between them suddenly didn't feel like space at all, more like an intense, almost suffocating pressure.

"Are you okay?" asked Doumeki, as if intuiting this.

"What? Yeah I'm fine," snapped Watanuki, and he knew Doumeki was still watching him. A moment's silence passed, then,

"It seems like this place really does work for some," observed Doumeki.

"What's that supposed to mean, 'for some?'" demanded Watanuki, kicking at a wave as it rolled over his foot and sending glittering drops of water flying.

"That the types of people with the types of problems these retreats help, really help," replied Doumeki, still observant.

"Oh," said Watanuki, kicking at another wave, grateful for the subject change but still aware of the pressure.

"Are you happy to be going home tomorrow?" asked Doumeki, after a moment.

"Obviously, then I can have my own bed again." Watanuki only realized exactly what he'd said after the words left his mouth. His face burned and he sped up to walk slightly ahead of Doumeki, only to feel his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey."

"WHAT?!" Watanuki exploded, whipping around. They locked eyes, and Doumeki tilted his head to the side.

"I just wanted to see what kind of face you were making."

"AURGH!" Watanuki marched ahead, though the effect was somewhat ruined by how ungainly walking on dry sand made you.

He muttered irritably to himself all the way back to the room, stopping only when Doumeki caught up with him. "Do we have time for tea before dinner?" he asked.

"Finally you ask instead of just demanding," muttered Watanuki, and Doumeki's small noise of playful agreement made his heart skip. He filled the kettle as Doumeki went out to sit on the porch, then brought two cups of tea out when it was ready.

"Thanks," said Doumeki, in a tone that might have been pleased as Watanuki handed him his cup and sat down beside him. They said nothing to each other as they drank their tea and watched the sun sink lower and lower towards the horizon, staining the surrounding clouds orange. It was so soothing and he was surprisingly tired from the boat trip that the pressure of the space between them seemed to be easing. He watched Doumeki discreetly, thinking about the bed they'd be sharing later, of the possibilities it held.

When the sun was level with the glittering ocean, they got changed and went to dinner, where they spent a lovely evening with the other couples from the boat trip. Everyone was talking about their experiences at the retreat, with the activities ("The cooking class was so much fun, we helped each other out a lot!"), the workshops ("That one about tantra was actually really enlightening!") and the therapy sessions ("She just… Saw right through, it was a little unnerving!"). Watanuki joined in the conversations as much as he was able, though really he preferred to listen. Listen and see Doumeki's genuine smile and hear him laugh and feel the space between them pulse.

Maybe everything was inevitable, just like Yuuko always said and for which Yuriko had been so grateful.

Watanuki took a deep breath in, sighed it out and placed his hand on Doumeki's thigh under the table. Doumeki turned sharply to face him, and his expression was the softest he'd ever seen it. They started at each other for a full ten seconds, then Doumeki placed his hand on top of Watanuki's and returned to the conversation.

Before dessert was served, Dr. Hanada called for the room's attention, and everyone stopped talking abruptly. "I just wanted to say thank you all so much for coming! It's been a pleasure and a privilege to be able to meet all of you, and if there's anything we can do to make your last night more enjoyable or your continuing journey easier, please let us know. Thank you all so much, enjoy the rest of your night!" The room broke into applause, and Watanuki took his hand off Doumeki's thigh to join in before returning to the dessert and polite conversation.

After about an hour, Doumeki placed his hand on Watanuki's thigh, and he blushed, but took it as a cue that they should return to their room. "We'll see you all in the morning," Watanuki told the table, and everyone bid them good night with warm smiles and friendly waves. They headed out of the dining hall and into the dark courtyard. Clouds of insects buzzed in the glow of all the lanterns while night blooming flowers, pine sap and the distant ocean perfumed the air. Everything seemed to be holding them snugly, drawing them closer together, and the space between them felt charged as though with electricity.

Watanuki walked slightly ahead of Doumeki, though it was like trying to move away from someone wrapped in a blanket with you, and unlocked the door to their suite. Moonlight poured in through the porch doors they'd left open, illuminating the futon laid out for them, and when Watanuki turned on the lights he saw there were also more desserts, chilled sake and clean yukata. He took a deep breath in at the sight, at the implication, at the possibility and everything it stirred up inside him, but just like that morning, he stayed with it. He sighed softly and, as calmly as he could, picked up the bottle of sake, poured two glasses and handed one to Doumeki. He took it with a small smile, clinked it against Watanuki's, and they drained them. Watanuki flushed, feeling somehow calmer but also much more aware of his body, of how hot his face was, of how fast his heart was beating, of how his hands were suddenly tingling as though encouraging him to reach out and touch something. He locked eyes with Doumeki, whose gaze was curious and encouraging, and opened his mouth, only to realize he had no idea what to say. Instead, he seized his yukata and scurried into the bathroom.

He shut the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. He knew what was to come next. He wanted it to come next, after all. He'd known since that morning, or since their walk on the beach if he were honest, or probably longer if he were really honest. Forcing himself to focus, he turned on the shower, then took off his glasses, undressed and folded his clothes neatly before stepping under the hot water. Blood rushed to the surface of his skin, deepening his blush. He couldn't deny he felt nervous. He'd never really done this with anyone, but…

He thought of Doumeki in his swimsuit walking up from the beach, or perfectly outlined in the wet yukata, or wrapped around him under blankets. He gasped softly as his body reacted, clearly on board with whatever was about to happen, but he ignored his excitement as he scrubbed himself clean. There was no rush. They had all night, and that thought made his heart beat so fast it made him dizzy.

He finished bathing, dried off, dressed in his yukata and returned to the bedroom, trying to hide his residual arousal in the folds of cotton. He heard Doumeki say, "Hmm…" very quietly before going into the bathroom himself. Watanuki crawled into bed and lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling and listening with all his might but not picking up much over his pounding heart. He heard the rustling of clothes, the shower turn on, then off, and finally, finally, the click of the bathroom light and the door open. Doumeki stood on the threshold, redressed and flushed from the hot water. "Lights out?" he asked, so quietly that Watanuki almost missed it. Still staring determinedly up at the ceiling, he said,

"Yes." There was a soft click, and suddenly the room was completely dark but for the porch light and the moon. Goosebumps erupted up Watanuki's arms as Doumeki crawled into bed beside him. He kept his gaze up at the ceiling, but out of the corner of his eye, he could see Doumeki on his side, giving him space but watching him. Watanuki had some idea of what to do, but absolutely no idea what to say, and the unknowns and wants and fears and needs rushing up inside him were suddenly overwhelming. However, as he had done all day, he stuck with it. He took a deep breath in, sighed it out, gathered his courage and rolled over, but was so struck by the tenderness in Doumeki's moonlit expression that he found himself with even fewer words. A moment's silence passed, then,

"Hey."

"My name's not 'hey,'" Watanuki shot back at once, with a little shiver that was either irritation or excitement, he didn't know and didn't want to. Something in Doumeki's expression shifted.

"Watanuki," he said, in a softer tone, and the sudden intensity of his gaze made Watanuki feel like he were being X-rayed. Watanuki gave another little shiver, then, gathering his courage, reached out and pressed his hand against Doumeki's chest. His skin was already warm, his heart was already pounding, and Watanuki gasped softly as excitement flooded his whole body. "Oh," whispered Doumeki, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind Watanuki's ear, his expression still so tender through the darkness.

"That's all you can say? Oh?" Watanuki asked, with a brave attempt at his usual antagonism as he moved in closer.

"Seems like it," replied Doumeki, also moving in closer. Watanuki flexed and extended his hand against Doumeki's chest, then pressed his fingertips into his skin as if he might reach inside and find a more helpful response. He heard Doumeki swallow, and felt more heat flood his belly. He took a deep breath in and sighed it out in a totally pointless attempt to vent it.

"Say something else," he demanded, his voice somewhere between a moan and a growl. The corner of Doumeki's mouth twitched.

"Like what?"

"I don't know! Anything!"

"Your hand feels good," breathed Doumeki, and Watanuki's eyes widened and he dug his fingers into his chest reflexively.

"Oh," he replied, in wonderment and arousal. Doumeki's lip twitched again.

"That's all you can say? Oh?" he asked, playfully.

"You-" Watanuki snapped, seizing Doumeki's yukata and pulling him even closer. Doumeki's eyes widened as much as they ever did, and Watanuki had the sudden sensation of looking over the edge of a cliff. "You're so…" They stared each other hard in the face, and the spiraling tension in the space between them swallowed the sounds of the ocean, their heartbeats, even their breath. "You're so…" Watanuki felt his eyes falling shut. "You're so-" but he had no idea how to finish the sentence, and on a swell of frustration and longing, kissed Doumeki on the lips. It could have lasted a second, an hour, a whole year, Watanuki didn't know, because in that moment his mind spun dizzyingly and his heart swelled too large for his chest and he was harder than he'd ever been in his life. They broke apart, though their lips had barely a millimeter between them.

"Oh," Doumeki moaned, and the sound was like an electric charge down Watanuki's spine. He kissed Doumeki again, and he kissed him back, and Watanuki had the glorious sensation of diving over the cliff's edge headfirst. He threw his arms around Doumeki's neck and thrust his tongue into his mouth, and the moan he received in return was more electricity through every nerve of his body. Doumeki took Watanuki into his arms and pulled him flush up against him, then eased his thigh between his legs. Watanuki pulled out of their kiss with a soft cry, the gentle pressure forcing more heat to flood his erection. "Is that okay?" Doumeki whispered into his ear.

"Y-yes!" Watanuki groaned, and indeed Doumeki's thigh pressed so shamelessly against his erection was making his head spin.

"You're so hard," Doumeki breathed, kissing him again, and Watanuki's face burned but he began to grind back against Doumeki almost defiantly.

"It's your fault, stirring me up," he shot back, between kisses, and Doumeki let out the smallest of excited laughs against his lips.

"Do I stir you up?" he asked, again almost playfully. Watanuki just groaned and kissed him hard on the lips in answer, thrusting his tongue into his mouth and holding tight to his shoulders. Doumeki groaned and entangled the hand not wrapped around him in his hair. Watanuki moaned fluently into his mouth, the sensations still making him dizzy, but he felt supported and cared for, and his erection twitched against Doumeki's thigh as he thought he could get used to it.

Doumeki pulled out of their kiss again and rolled on top of Watanuki, one arm under his lower back and the other still in his hair. Watanuki gave a soft cry of surprise and spread his legs unconsciously, blushing deeply but feeling beyond excited. He thought they'd just kiss a few times and fall asleep in each other's arms, go soft and slow and gentle, but now they were in it he wanted everything so badly he couldn't stand it, though he wasn't even sure what everything was. However, as Doumeki settled between his spread legs and he realized how hard he was too, he got some insight. It amazed him that he had caused such a reaction in someone as stoic and unreadable as Doumeki, but then again, if he could make him feel everything else he'd described these last few days, was it really so surprising? Watanuki's heart beat almost painfully fast and his erection throbbed with longing. "Are you okay?" asked Doumeki, pulling out of their kiss and looking down at him with an almost painful intensity.

"I'm fine, I just," but Watanuki broke off, swallowing, and on another swell of courage and arousal pressed his hips upwards, teasing at Doumeki's erection. He closed his eyes and threw his head back in a soft groan, then faced Watanuki with an entirely new desire. "Do I stir you up?" Watanuki asked, half sarcastic, half desirous.

"You do," replied Doumeki, completely unashamedly, and then he was back on top of Watanuki, burying his face in his neck and kissing the hot, flushed skin there. Watanuki moaned openly and arched up into the touch, his hands sliding and clawing up and down Doumeki's back and legs spreading further. His mouth was hot and wanting, but still gentle as he kissed up and down his neck, until he paused to move his yukata out of the way to bite down just above his collar bone, breathing hard through his nose. Watanuki cried out, dug his fingers into Doumeki's upper back and leaned away, giving him more room. He kissed and bit and sucked all the way up to Watanuki's ear, never hard enough to leave a mark but more than enough to keep him moaning and gasping and shivering. "Does it feel good?" he breathed, right in his ear, before biting playfully at the lobe.

"O-oh my- yes!" Watanuki cried, and when he heard Doumeki's little noise of approval, he turned to catch his mouth in another deep, passionate kiss. Doumeki groaned and thrust his hips up against Watanuki's, and the hot, glorious friction made his toes curl.

"Is that okay?" gasped Doumeki, between kisses, the words aching with need.

"Yes!" Watanuki cried, and Doumeki nodded and kept going, kissing him deeper and thrusting harder against him. Watanuki held onto Doumeki's shoulders and wrapped his legs around his waist, and the onslaught of sensation in his whole body was intoxicating. He closed his eyes and moaned openly, once again feeling gloriously supported and cared for, but through his spinning mind and overheated body he knew a sudden clarity. He knew what everything was, and he knew he'd go crazy if they kept this up for too long. He took hold of the sides of Doumeki's face and pulled him out of their kiss, and for a moment it was as if anything he'd wanted to say got lost in his arousal. They stared at each other for a moment, Watanuki's desire mirrored back at him in Doumeki's expression.

"Are you okay?" asked Doumeki, breathlessly. Watanuki nodded, catching his own breath, then,

"Are you going to tease me all night?" he demanded, though his antagonism was dulled considerably by his need.

"If you want," replied Doumeki, entirely seriously, and Watanuki knew that in that moment, he'd do anything he wanted, and that knowledge alone was perhaps the most exciting thing he'd ever felt. He shifted beneath Doumeki and pressed his hands into his shoulders to roll him onto his back. Doumeki's eyes widened far more than they ever did, and Watanuki knew a deeply pleasurable surge of power at surprising him. He straddled his hips and rubbed his hands up and down his strong chest, feeling the sensation up his arms, through his own chest all the way to his hot, twitching erection. Doumeki closed his eyes for a moment and arched into the touch, but then pushed himself up into a sitting position beneath Watanuki and wrapped his arms around him. The new position put him right into the beam of the porch light, and his expression was simultaneously so wanting and so tender that Watanuki almost stopped breathing. His whole body gave a little shiver as he seized the sides of Doumeki's face and pulled him into another heavy, passionate kiss. Doumeki groaned into his mouth and wrapped one arm tight around him, then slowly dragged the other hand down his chest and-

"O-oh," Watanuki moaned in fresh arousal and shuddered, heat rushing up his neck and between his legs as Doumeki wrapped his hand around his erection. The touch was tentative, but also demanding, and Watanuki once again felt supported, cared for, connected, and his erection throbbed and precum oozed from the tip.

"Is this okay?" Doumeki gasped, staring Watanuki hard in the face.

"Yes!" cried Watanuki, impatiently, because how was that even a question at this point?! Doumeki began to move his hand up and down in slow, deliberate strokes. "O-oh my," Watanuki moaned, his thighs shaking where they straddled Doumeki's. He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing his pleasure and the relief it promised, then reached between them to take hold of Doumeki's erection, shivering at how hard he was, at how good he felt in his hand.

"You, you don't have to-" Doumeki started to gasp, but Watanuki swallowed his words in a heavy kiss.

"Shut up," he breathed against his lips. The corner of Doumeki's mouth twitched and Watanuki pulled away so he could see his face as he began to move his hand too. Doumeki closed his eyes and let out a soft moan that forced more blood and heat between Watanuki's trembling legs. His erection throbbed again, oozing more precum onto Doumeki's hand and he sped up his pace, feeling more powerful and more excited and more turned on than he'd ever been in his life. He kissed Doumeki hard on the lips again, sharing breath and energy and soft moans as they pleased each other. Supported by Doumeki's embrace, Watanuki moved completely on instinct, pulling out of their kiss to bury his face in Doumeki's neck, inhaling his skin and hair and pine sap and saltwater and-

"Oh," Doumeki moaned into his ear, stroking him faster, and Watanuki bit down on his flushed skin to stifle his own cry as he thrust back into his hand, the extra friction of the perfect timing forcing more precum from his throbbing erection. "You're so," Doumeki started to say, but then,

"Ah!" Doumeki paused to press his thumb against the tip of Watanuki's erection and rub it in slow, teasing circles. Watanuki's toes curled and he threw his head back in an ecstatic moan, his mind a blur and body on fire, squeezing Doumeki's erection and feeling him twitch in his hand.

"Do you always leak this much?" asked Doumeki in a voice that throbbed with arousal, and the words seized Watanuki's entire being in a deeply pleasurable vice grip.

"N-no, don't rub-!" Doumeki stopped at once, and the pleasure released Watanuki, leaving him gasping and shivering.

"Do you actually want me to stop? Or are you just close?" asked Doumeki, very seriously. Watanuki let out an anguished moan, doing his best to get his wits about him, but being suddenly forced right to the edge, then pulled away, left his heart pounding and his thighs shaking badly. Gasping, he managed to counter,

"Are you close?" preferring not to answer the question, because it was completely obvious.

"Yes," replied Doumeki, simply, and a tidal wave of arousal rose and crashed inside Watanuki, his erection now so hard it was painful. He stared into Doumeki's moonlit eyes, then nodded.

"Don't stop," he whispered, his voice heavy with need. Doumeki closed his eyes in a small gasp of relief, then stared at him once more to assure him,

"I won't."

They were kissing again, more passionately than ever, stroking each other harder and faster, forcing each other back to that glorious edge. The hot coil of arousal in Watanuki's belly was wound up painfully tightly, his erection was too hard even to throb and his thighs shook violently. "I'm right there!" he cried, suddenly, pulling out of their kiss, and Doumeki let out an excited, shuddering gasp.

"Me too!"

"OH-!"

They came at almost exactly the same time, all the pressure inside Watanuki rushing out into Doumeki's hand in the most intense orgasm he'd ever had. Pleasure rose and crashed inside him, leaving him empty of everything but satisfaction, his mind gloriously blank and body hot and shuddering. He fell against Doumeki's shoulder as he pleased him through it, moaning incoherently into his ear, gloriously aware of Doumeki's pleasure, of his moans and gasps. Eventually, both of them stopped moving their hands and fell against each other, intensely connected and supported in the aftermath of their pleasure.

A minute, an hour or several days later, Watanuki had no idea, he felt Doumeki let go of him, felt his mind and body start to reconnect and return to the real world. He pulled away lazily just in time to see Doumeki suck his fingers clean. Watanuki gasped, feeling the gesture like a lighting strike. However, Doumeki just smiled a warm, satisfied smile and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "Good?" he asked.

"Very good," Watanuki replied, without thinking. He kissed him again to cover the moment, then got off of him to clean up, not bothering to turn on any of the lights. Doumeki followed, and soon enough they were back under the covers, embracing face to face.

Watanuki closed his eyes, feeling more content than he ever would have thought possible, and fell into the best sleep he'd had in a long time.

The next day was a blur to Watanuki.

After a hurried breakfast, he and Doumeki packed their bags and dragged them to the lobby to check out and call a taxi. The room was full of people, some talking, others laughing and a few crying. Watanuki's heart swelled with bittersweet emotions as they checked out and said their goodbyes to Sumire and Fujito, then Yuriko and Renjiro.

"We'll see each other again," Watanuki told them all with confidence.

"Take care, keep granting wishes," Yuriko told him as she hugged him goodbye. They exchanged one last smile, then she took Renjiro's hand and led him out of the lobby.

"Let's go," said Doumeki, after a moment. Watanuki turned, and without the slightest change of expression, Doumeki held out his hand too. Watanuki groaned, but took it, if only so he could pull him outside. Affection was already something he wasn't used to, let alone in public. With Doumeki. It would definitely take time.

Their cab driver helped them load their bags into the trunk, and they climbed into the backseat. "The train station, right?"

"Yes please," said Doumeki.

As they pulled away on a rev of the engine, they both looked back one last time at the Matsumori Inn, and shared the memory of arriving there a million years ago.

"You'll find what you're looking for," their cab driver had said.

"Besides, it'll be more fun finding something we didn't even know we were looking for, right?" Yuuko had asked, playfully.

Doumeki and Watanuki looked at each other, then away, Watanuki blushing while Doumeki just looked even more deadpan than usual. However, he took Watanuki's hand again and gave it a squeeze, which he returned.

Yes, they'd definitely found something.

Ahh I'm so happy for the two of them! They owe me drinks though, seriously.

Again, thank you all so much for reading, I hope you have a wonderful CLAMP Day!

I think of reviews when I summon my kekkai, leave me some!